Chapter 101: Genealogist

The residence was dilapidated, and the tiled house was old.

Various books and scrolls were piled up in the room, making this already narrow room look even smaller.

At this time, a middle-aged scholar was buried in a mountain of books, flipping through the scrolls quickly, muttering to himself, occasionally stopping to record and draw with a pen on paper.

His forehead was covered with sweat, his eyes were narrowed due to soreness, but his gaze flashed with excitement.

This person's surname was Dai, given name Zhigao, originally from Shanyin, a scholar who studied genealogy, and was quite famous in Jingzhou City.

The so-called genealogy refers to documents recording family lineages, including family trees, clan trees, registers, biographies, and other materials.

The Northern and Southern Dynasties were an era of noble families. In official careers, marriage, and social interactions, one would always ask about the family surname first. The imperial court used it as a basis for selecting officials, the government used it as a distinction for management, others talked about it as a longing, and the noble families themselves took it as glory. Therefore, the study of genealogy gradually rose and became a separate academic category.

There were two major schools of genealogy that were the most powerful at the time. The first was the Hedong Jia school of genealogy, led by Jia Yuan, a military advisor in the Situ Mansion. The Jia family passed down the study for three generations, and their research was precise and comprehensive, unmatched in the world.

The second was the Langya Wang school of genealogy, led by the late Minister Ling, Wang Jian. After Wang Jian passed away, Wang Rong, a Zhongshu Vice Minister, was publicly recognized as the number one person in the Wang school of genealogy.

These two major schools were all top-tier great nobles, standing on the position of maintaining the status of noble families and self-promotion, naturally keen on studying genealogy. But this Dai Zhigao was a nobody, and couldn't be connected with noble families at all. Calling him a cold family was a bit reluctant. His family could at most be considered a local big surname, with a little wealth.

With his status, it was completely fine to be a "clerk" in the commandery and county. By accumulating merit and being promoted, there was a chance to enter the official career. Or he could specialize in classics and take the exam all the way to the National School; or he could study widely and be recommended as a talented person; or he could cultivate a reputation and take the path of filial piety. In short, as long as he was lucky and willing to pay, there was still a chance to be an official.

Even if he didn't become an official, with his family background, he could live a good life.

But he was unwilling to do so.

When he was thirteen, he had seen from afar three noble sons dressed in brocade and gorgeous clothes, standing on the top of a mountain looking at the scenery and writing poetry with a graceful demeanor. Six servants blocked the mountain road, not allowing other tourists to go up. Even the county magistrate's family didn't dare to say anything more.

Then a group of maids began to place tables and beds, set up brocade mats and satin, and presented exquisite dishes in an orderly manner.

The young masters began to dine, their manners were elegant, and their conversation was graceful, as if every place showed the etiquette and upbringing of noble families, making people unable to help but be fascinated by them.

From then on, he fell hopelessly in love with noble culture. He learned relevant knowledge thirstily, practiced etiquette and pure conversation secretly, studied the stories and genealogies of noble families, and collected various documents and historical materials.

Hard work pays off. Three years later, he finally verified that they were distant relatives of the Dai family of Qiaojun!

For this, he spent a large sum of money and went to recognize his relatives excitedly, but was rejected without suspense.

He wouldn't give up, and began to buy noble clothing, enter and exit places often frequented by noble sons, and purchase expensive incense, ornaments, and utensils. In order to climb the relationship, he even sold his ancestral property and bought a vermilion ox cart!

Finally, he met a noble son from a noble family who came to play locally and agreed to help him enter the noble family register for a price of five hundred thousand.

Dai Zhigao exhausted all his family's savings to make up the money, but he didn't expect that person to be a liar who impersonated a noble! There were more than ten people who were deceived!

After the incident, although the liar was executed by the government, the money he was deceived out of could not be found back no matter what.

Having lost everything, he became a laughingstock for the locals and could only drive the only remaining ox cart and a cart full of genealogical scrolls, leaving Shanyin and coming to Jingzhou to rely on his relatives.

When he arrived in Jingzhou, he found that his relatives had died. He sold the ox cart, rented a small house, and felt the experience of being deceived. At the same time, to pursue that illusory noble phantom, he almost didn't go out of the door while working as a scribe for others, and studied genealogy madly! For more than ten years, he really became the number one expert in the field of genealogy research in Jingzhou City!

Even when the Commandery Mansion was organizing the household registration files of noble families, they invited him to do the school participation!

But although he had studied noble families for most of his life, today was the first time he sat face-to-face with a real noble family, and the nobility of this family was the highest he had ever seen in his life!

The Liu family of Hedong!

The son of the old Duke Liu!

A real noble young man!

What is Huayu?

Those who have had Ling or Pu within three generations can be called "Huayu"!

Ling and Pu refer to Minister Ling and Minister Pushe. These two positions are one primary and one secondary, leading the Minister Province, also known as "Duankui," which means Prime Minister.

That is to say, only those whose great-grandfather, grandfather, or father have served as Minister Ling or Minister Pushe can be called "Huayu."

Those who are on the same level as Minister Ling and Pushe are Zhongshu Ling and Zhongshu Jian, and their sons can also be called "Huayu."

As for the head of the Menxia Province—Shizhong, it is slightly lower than Minister Ling, Pushe, Zhongshu Ling, and Jian. This position was also called "Prime Minister's Seat" at the time, approximately equal to "Prime Minister-in-waiting."

And the head of the Sanqi Province, Sanqi Chief Clerk, and the head of the Secretarial Province, Secretarial Jian, are even lower than Shizhong.

This is the situation of the heads of the five provinces.

Above Minister Ling and Pushe, Zhongshu Ling and Jian are the three public officials: Situ, Taiwei, and Sikong.

Those who have had three public officials within three generations can be called "Gaoliang"!

Therefore, at that time, strictly speaking, Gaoliang sons could not be called casually. First, they must be noble families, and second, within three generations, there must be someone who has served as a three-public official to be called Gaoliang sons.

Therefore, whether it was Xie Xinghan or Seeing Liu Cheng, they could only be counted as "Huayu," not "Gaoliang."

At this time, the real "Huayu noble young man" Seeing Liu Cheng was covering his nose with a purple silk handkerchief, sitting opposite Dai Zhigao, preventing himself from inhaling the flying dust produced by the turning of the old paper.

I don't know how long it took, Dai Zhigao stood up, his legs became numb because he hadn't changed his sitting posture for a long time, but he had to perform a standard and elegant bow immediately, so his movements looked a bit clumsy and funny: "Young Master Liu, this small person has finished the verification."

"What is the result?" Seeing Liu Cheng asked with trepidation.

Dai Zhigao handed over three sheets of paper full of ink characters and pictures, and said word by word: "This person is definitely not of the Langya Wang clan!"

Seeing Liu Cheng was overjoyed! He put down his handkerchief, and his voice couldn't help but tremble: "Can you be sure?"

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Note: The definition of "Gaoliang" and "Huayu" comes from *New Book of Tang, Biography of Liu Chong*: "Those with commandery surnames are ranked by the family status of the scholars in the Central Plains. System: Those who have had three public officials for three generations are called 'Gaoliang', and those who have had Ling or Pu are called 'Huayu'."

This argument was recounted by the Tang dynasty historian Liu Fang regarding the Northern Dynasties system. Mr. Tang Changru's *On the Determination of Surnames and Clans by Emperor Xiaowen of Northern Wei* inferred that this was the regulation of "determining the surnames and clans of the four seas" in the 18th year of Taihe of Northern Wei, which should be correct.

Although it is a Northern Dynasties system, choosing concepts like "High-born" and "Flowery Language" is by no means random, but reflects a convention that was commonly understood in society at that time.

For example, to grade beef as S, A, B, C, there must first be a commonly known concept that S is higher than A, and A is higher than B, and then people will not feel confused when using the SABC grading when grading beef.

Determining "High-born" and "Flowery Language" is also the same. Examining the historical materials of the Southern Dynasties, the use of such words was quite strict. Taking High-born as an example, for example, Emperor Wu of Liu Song called Wang Tan-shou and Wang Qiu of the Langya Wang clan: "Both are High-born family virtues." (*History of the Southern Dynasties, Biography of Wang Tan-shou*) Wang Tan-shou's father Wang Xun was posthumously awarded Situ when he died, and his great-grandfather Wang Dao didn't need to be mentioned, he was a three-public official while alive; Wang Qiu's father Wang Mi reached the position of Situ, and his great-grandfather was also Wang Dao. Both meet the definition of "three public officials in three generations."

For another example, the two brothers of the Langya Wang clan in the Southern Qi dynasty, Wang Zhi said to Wang Ji: "You are a High-born young man, why worry about not reaching?" (*Book of Southern Qi, Biography of Wang Ji*) Wang Ji was the son of the great minister Wang Sengqian. Wang Sengqian was posthumously awarded Sikong when he died, which is also a three-public official.

There are also those who do not meet the conditions of three public officials in three generations but are called High-born, but that is on special occasions. For example, in Northern and Southern diplomacy, the Northern minister Li Xiaobo said to Zhang Chang: "You are the High-born of the Southern land." (*Book of Song, Biography of Zhang Chang*) Zhang Chang is also a noble family. Although his father and grandfather were prominent, none of them were three-public officials, so Zhang Chang replied: "The words of High-born are truly shameful." This is both a humble word and indeed did not reach the standard of "High-born."

What is even more interesting is those who especially like to brag, such as Xun Bozi of Liu Song, who "often prides himself on the beauty of his shade and register," meaning he is proud of his family status and bloodline. Once he said to Wang Hong of the Langya Wang clan: "The High-born of the world are only you and this official!" (*Book of Song, Biography of Xun Bozi*)

Wang Hong is the older brother of Wang Tan-shou mentioned earlier, and the great-grandson of Wang Dao. His family has had two public officials in three generations, so there is no problem calling him High-born. But this Xun Bozi is a bit short. Although his family has had high officials for three generations, only his great-grandfather Xun Song reached "Kaifu Yitong Sansi." Sansi is three public officials, and Kaifu Yitong Sansi is using the ritual system of three public officials to open a mansion and build a government office, which is similar to three public officials, but strictly speaking, the actual official position did not reach three public officials.

What is this equivalent to? To use an inappropriate metaphor, on the other side of the earth almost at the same time as Wang Yang's era, the Ostrogoth prince said to the Byzantine prince: "The top nobles of the world are only you and me."

Byzantine prince:???

Although Xun Bozi's family official position within three generations is not as good as Wang Hong's family, the foundation of the Yingchuan Xun family is very deep. In terms of time, it started earlier than the Langya Wang clan. This Xun Bozi is the seventh-generation grandson of Xun Yu. He wrote *Genealogy of the Xun Family*, saying that his family has "nine public officials in six generations," which is even more awesome than the four generations and three public officials of Yuan Shao's family, so it is understandable to be proud.

ps. Four generations and three public officials means that every generation in four generations produced three public officials. In terms of specific numbers, there are five people in total, so Liu Bei said: "Yuan Gonglu is near Shouchun, this gentleman has had three public officials for four generations, and the world belongs to him." ===== CHAPTER 102 =====